Three Days of Excess
by Bando26
Summary: Aboard the Excess Express, Mario and Peach expect a relaxing train voyage, but the journey proves to be anything but. The final chapter is up, so the story is COMPLETED.
1. Peach's Invitation

"Could you please pass the butter, brother?" Mario asked Luigi across the breakfast table. It was quite a nice day, and Mario loved pancakes, but what he loved even more was buttered pancakes.

Luigi, however, wasn't passing the butter. He couldn't hear Mario because his headphones were pumping loud music in his ears and he didn't even realize Mario was asking him anything.

"Pass the butter, please!" Mario shouted, trying to stay polite.

Luigi didn't notice, and continued looking down at his pancakes.

Mario waved his arms around. "LUIGI! LUIGI!"

Nothing from Luigi.

Mario picked up the salt shaker and threw it across the table. It ricocheted off the table and hit Luigi right in the chest.

Luigi clenched his chest. "Ouch! Mario, what's _wrong_ with you?"

"Could you please pass the butter?" Mario asked politely.

"No!" Luigi said, indignantly. "First you throw a salt shaker at me, then ask me to pass the butter? Look, you spilled some salt!" Luigi picked up the grains of salt between his thumb and forefinger, and tossed the salt over his left shoulder in an act of superstitious activity.

"Fine!" Mario said. "I'll get the stupid butter myself!" he said, getting up and pushing his chair back violently into the wall. As he began stomping around the table, he heard a faint knocking on the front door. "You get it!" Mario shouted to Luigi. "I'm busy getting butter."

"You get the door!" Luigi said.

"Fine!" Mario said. He stomped through the living room and opened the door. It was Princess Peach!

"Hi, Mario!" said Peach, smiling. "Guess what!"

"What?" asked Mario. He was too upset for guessing games.

"I got two tickets for the Excess Express!"

"What? You mean the most expensive train in the world?" asked Mario, feeling much more happy.

"Yes!" Peach was thrilled.

"Whoa!" Luigi said, hopping out of his chair and walking into the living room. "The Excess Express is a fantastic train. The food is wonderful, I've heard."

"Oh, yes!" Peach said. "I got Mario and myself tickets! Three days of luxury and relaxation. Then, the train stops in Poshley Heights, the fanciest, most upscale place in the world."

"Oh, the restaurants there are to _die _for," Luigi sighed. "I wish I could go. But, hey, I've got...stuff...to do around the house. So I couldn't go anyway..."

"Well, that's good," said Peach, "because I only have the two tickets."

Luigi sighed again. Slowly.

Peach got excited, and couldn't contain her happiness. "Now, come on, Mario. Get packed! We have to leave immediately! Come on!" Peach was _very_ eager.

"What! Right now?" Mario said, surprised by Peach's lack of advance notice.

"Yes, Mario! Get your bags, come on!"

"But my pancakes..." Mario moaned to Peach.

"Don't worry about your lousy pancakes!" Peach said.

Luigi took offense, as he was the one who had cooked the pancakes. Overwhelmed by his anger and sadness, he left the living room.

"But I've hardly had breakfast!" Mario said.

"Don't worry! The food on the Excess Express is great! You'll want to save your appetite!"

"Oh. Okeydokey!" Mario said. "Let's a-go!" he said.


	2. Missing Pot

**DAY ONE**

The price for a ticket on the Excess Express is very high. Mario was very surprised that Peach somehow was able to get tickets aboard. Many people dream of riding the Excess Express, but could not afford a single ticket even after saving money for twenty years. Much of the money goes toward the delectable meals served aboard the train. Much of it goes toward the dazzling decorations inside the train. There are chandeliers in every room, and candles are always neatly arranged on the tables in the dining car. There are eight rooms for passengers to sleep in during the three-day journey.

Mario and Peach were assigned to stay in Room 5. It had very nice orange and brown decor. The nice color combination made Mario giddy. Peach was disappointed that there wasn't very much pink, but there really wasn't much she could do about it, so she did nothing. There was a nice bunk bed in one corner of the room, across from a small, but very comfortable couch. Everything was fastened to the floor or walls.

A few moments after the train departed, the conductor made an announcement over the P.A. system. "It's lunch time. Please head to the dining car for our Chef Shimi's fabulous meals." Fortunately for Mario and Peach, their room was nearest to the dining car.

The dozen passengers aboard the train filed into the dining car. The bright yellow atmosphere was very relaxing. Mario and Peach got a nice table next to the window. Mario said, "Well, this is a nice train."

"Yes," said Peach. They watched the scenery quickly rush by through the window. Lush green meadows, and purple mountains in the background. A perfectly blue sky, with a few clouds for decoration.

After a few moments, the waitress with the purple hair brought them their food. "Mmmm," Mario said, "Mushroom gravy!"

Peach stared at it. "It looks a little... tasty." She hesitantly picked up her spoon, and took a sip.

It _was_ tasty. Very tasty. She and Mario devoured it all.

"Why, this is _wonderful_! It's the tastiest thing I've ever had! It's delish!" Peach said in amazement.

"Oh, yes," said Mario in agreement.

After eating it all, and licking their fingers, they agreed to go to the kitchen to ask for seconds.

"Can we please have more--" Mario started asking, but he stopped because the chef was sobbing.

"What's the matter, Chef Shimi?" Peach inquired.

"Somebody stole my favorite pot. Without it, I can't make any more meals."

"Why can't you use another pot?" Mario inquired.

"It's the only one I brought," said Chef Shimi. "Mario, and Princess, could you please find the pot? I last remember it having more mushroom gravy in it."

"Okeydokey!" said Mario.

Mario and Peach left the kitchen to search for the pot, but Peach noticed a brown liquid speckled on the ground. She bent down to taste it. "Mmmm... mushroom gravy! This stuff is delicious even when you eat it off the ground!" She and Mario followed the trail of mushroom gravy into Room 3.

"YOU!" Mario shouted as he pointed at the fat Toad with mushroom gravy dribbling from his lips. "Where's the pot?"

"Ummm..." mumbled the fat Toad, "I don't have anything." He sounded a little dubious, as if he were lying.

Peach walked up to him and slapped him. "You stole the entire pot so you could have the mushroom gravy all to yourself, didn't you?" She slapped him again. "I couldn't get any seconds, and here _you_ are, getting _sevenths_!" She slapped the fat Toad again, exited the room, and headed back to Room 5 to cry.

"How dare you make my girlfriend cry!" said Mario. He gave a piercing stare to the fat Toad. The fat Toad reluctantly handed the pot back to Mario. Mario looked into the pot. Darn, licked clean.

Peach and Mario took the pot back.

Chef Shimi was thrilled to have his favorite pot back. "Thank you very much. If it weren't for you two, we'd be eating raw mushrooms for three days!" As a reward, he gave Mario a P-wing.

"Oh, thank you," said Mario.

* * *

Several hours passed. The sun was setting, and Peach and Mario were in their room, gazing out the window at it.

"It sure is pretty, Mario," Peach said.

"Mmmm-hmmm," said Mario. He never was one to get very emotional about a huge ball of gas sinking down behind a bunch of mountains far away. "It's very orange."

"Yes, it is," Peach replied.

"EMERGENCY!" the conductor's voice shouted through the P.A. system. Mario and Peach stared up at the speaker in the ceiling as if they expected to see somebody in it. The conductor's voice was very urgent. "The engineer has been shot!"

"Mamma-mia!" Mario screamed.

"Oh no!" Peach screamed, "Who's steering the train?"


	3. Everyone's a Suspect

The conductor wouldn't allow anyone into the engine room, where the engineer was resting. "I can't let anyone into the engine room. The engineer needs his rest."

"Is he going to be okay?" asked the purple-haired waitress. "He and I are supposed to go on a date after the train ride."

"It doesn't look too promising," replied the conductor, looking down at his hands, tapping his foot slowly. The waitress broke out in tears, and a green-shelled Koopa Troopa tried to comfort her.

A short blue penguin with a Sherlock Holmes hat and a large magnifying glass pushed in through the crowd from the back. "Excuse me, excuse me, investigator coming through."

"Who are you?" asked the conductor.

"Why, I'm Pennington. World class investigator. Fortunately for everybody, I happen to be on the train right now, and I can help solve the mystery of who shot the engineer. Now, since the train hasn't stopped since we left, we can only deduce that the person who shot the engineer is..." he paused for effect, "_on this train right now!_"

Everyone gasped.

"So somebody on this train is a murderer?" asked Peach.

"Well," said the conductor, "the engineer isn't dead, so we'll just say there's an 'attempted-murderer' on the train."

"Oh my!" said Peach.

"That's-a awful!" Mario exclaimed.

The conductor spoke loudly so that everybody could hear. "Everybody, please return to your rooms. Mr. Pennington, I trust that you are a capable investigator. Please come with me so we can speak with the engineer."

Pennington and the conductor entered the engine room while everybody else returned to their respective rooms.

A few hours later, Peach and Mario sat on the small couch in their room, discussing why anyone could possibly want to kill the engineer.

"Maybe somebody doesn't want us to reach Poshley Heights," Mario suggested. "Maybe there's treasure there!"

"Oooh, maybe there _is _treasure!" Peach agreed. "But that sounds kind of preposterous, Mario."

"Well, let's try to figure out who shot the conductor, then," Mario suggested.

"Nobody shot the conductor," Peach said, disapprovingly. "The _engineer_ got shot, Mario."

"Oh. Well, who do you think did it?"

"Well, it couldn't be the waitress," Peach said. "You know, the one with the purple hair? She is supposed to have a date with him. Why would she schedule a date with somebody whom she would kill? Then he wouldn't be there for the date, being dead and all, and she would get sad."

"Hmmm..." Mario said. He didn't know what to say. He honestly had no idea. He was getting tired, especially because of the events that had happened today.

"Well," said Peach, "I'm tired. I guess it's time to go to sleep." They both went to sleep. Mario slept on top. Peach took the bottom bunk.


	4. Interrogation

**DAY TWO**

The sun was almost peeking over the horizon when Mario and Peach were both startled awake by the conductor's voice over the P.A. system. "Everyone, please come to the dining car."

"Hmmm..." Mario yawned, his eyes feeling heavy and droopy. "I guess it's time for interrogation."

"Oh, dear," Peach said quietly, putting her hand up to her mouth. "I was afraid this would happen."

"Now, now," Mario said, reassuringly. "I'm sure you didn't do it--they couldn't possibly find you guilty!"

"Okay, thanks Mario. You make me feel much better," Peach said, and hugged Mario. They both got dressed. Peach put on her make-up, then they both left the room.

Everyone sat at the tables in the dining car while the conductor paced around the room. Peach and Mario sat together at their own table.

"The engineer is badly hurt. He is resting in the engine room." The conductor stood at the window, clasped his hands together behind his back, and stared out the window at the sunrise.

Everybody sat watching him.

"I feel it is my responsibility to find the truth, and discover who shot the engineer. So that is why we are all gathered here, to solve this mystery."

Mario was sleepy. He wanted to go back to sleep.

"YOU!" the conductor turned and pointed at the fat Toad. "You did it, didn't you?"

"N-no!" the fat Toad replied, panicking.

"You're the one who stole Chef Shimi's favorite pot! You probably shot the engineer too, right?"

"I didn't shoot him!" The fat Toad was looking nervous, but he always looked that way anyway.

"Oh? What's that in your pocket, then?" the conductor said accusingly, pointing at the fat Toad's pocket.

"It's my lucky fork," the fat Toad said, slowly pulling the fork out of his pocket. "It's the only fork I'll eat with."

"Hmmm..." the conductor said. "How... suspicious."

"No no!" Pennington said to the conductor, jumping out of his chair. "You're doing it all wrong!" He walked to the Koopa Troopa. "YOU! Shellback!" He pointed accusingly, for effect.

"Yeah?" replied the Koopa Troopa, resting his head on his hand.

"Where were you yesterday evening?"

"Um, I was _here_ on the _Excess Express_," the Koopa said sharply. He was obviously trying to give the conductor a hard time. This was all a huge waste of his time--he still wanted to be asleep.

"Where _in the train_ were you?"

"I was here in the dining car, eating dinner."

"Ahh..." Pennington said, staring into the young Koopa's eyes. "So, if you were in fact eating the dinner, then you would know exactly what was served?"

"Yes," said the Koopa, still sharply. "It was mushroom pie."

"Is this true?" Pennington asked Chef Shimi.

"Yes," Chef Shimi said, rolling his eyes. "You would know, Pennington. You asked for seconds last night. Then you dressed up in a costume to get even more."

"Well, yes. That was good pie. I didn't want to look like a pig, ordering a third serving."

"I have a keen eye. I saw right through that costume," said Chef Shimi. Pennington began to blush.

Mario was getting tired of watching all this. Nobody was getting anywhere. He dozed off, resting his head on the table.


	5. Anger Arises

When Mario awoke, the sun was high in the sky. There was drool under his mouth on the table. The first thing he noticed was that the engineer was in the room now.

Pennington was speaking to the engineer, who seemed to be in good condition. The engineer was sitting in a chair. "So, you don't recognize anybody in this car as the person who shot you?" Pennington asked.

"No," the engineer said. "I don't."

"Well, everybody aboard the train is in this room right now. And you say that none of these people shot you?"

"No, I don't remember seeing any of these people when I was shot."

Mario was getting hungry. Chef Shimi hadn't made any food at all today. Mario glanced up at the clock above the door. It was already noon! He could tell Peach was starving--she was chewing on her gorgeous hair. Mario realized just how hungry he was when he noticed that he was licking crumbs out of his mustache.

"I move that we recess for lunch," Mario said. Immediately, everyone realized how hungry he or she was.

"Well, then, I'll cook mushroom pudding. It'll be quick and easy to make," said Chef Shimi.

"Okay," the conductor said. "But hurry. If we don't solve this mystery by the time we arrive in Poshley Heights tomorrow, we won't be allowing anybody off the train."

Chef Shimi went to the kitchen, and everyone else continued sitting in the dining car. Nobody knew what to say. Mario didn't want to be stuck on this train with these maniacs any longer than he had to. The entire morning had been filled with annoying and boring events. It wasn't very long at all until Chef Shimi returned from the kitchen with his big pot. Inside was brownish clear stuff. "Sorry, everyone. I messed up a little bit on this project." He took his ladle, scooped some up, and dalloped some into the conductor's bowl. It jiggled a little too much like gelatin. It was a little unsettling to look at.

The conductor and engineer were sitting together at a table right next to Mario and Peach's table. Mario overheard them talking.

"So, who do you think 'dunnit'?" asked the conductor.

"I don't know!" said the engineer. "I didn't notice!"

"We can't pick up the passengers waiting for us to pick them up at Riverside Station later today. We mustn't stop. We have to keep moving at full steam. Otherwise, the 'attempted-murderer' might try to get off the train and flee!"

"Agreed," said the engineer. "We won't stop. I also think we should check the passengers for guns. You know...find out who shot me."

"Good idea."

* * *

That night, under the twinkling stars, the Excess Express didn't slow down for the passengers eagerly waiting to board the train at Riverside Station. Five people stood outside, surprised that the train completely passed them. The rich Toad with the monocle gasped, and the one with the elegant dress cupped her hands over her mouth, and said, "Well, I never!"

Meanwhile, the conductor ordered everyone to return to his or her room. He searched everywhere for guns. The results of this search were startling, and he announced them as he ran into the dining car during dinner.

"EVERYONE HAS GUNS! Everyone except for the princess! Even the engineer has one! Even Shimi! Even the purple-haired waitress! EVERYONE! Even me!"

"Well, this doesn't help narrow the search down," said the purple-haired waitress, disappointedly.

"I bet _he_ did it!" the fat Toad grinned, food dribbling out of his mouth, pointing at the Koopa Troopa.

"What?" The Koopa scowled angrily and said, "No, I didn't!" He then hurled a handful of mushroom lasagna at the fat Toad. "Eat this, too!"

The fat Toad, completely taken aback, picked up his mushroom breadstick, and threw it back at the Koopa Troopa. The Koopa ducked his head into his shell, and the breadstick, missing its target, struck the face of the purple-haired waitress innocently standing right behind.

"Food fight!"

Everyone began throwing food. Everyone, that is, except for Princess Peach. She cowered in the corner. Her dress was new. She didn't want it ruined. Mario saw how afraid she was. "I'll defend you, Peach!"

He grabbed some of his mushroom salad and threw it at the purple-haired waitress, and splashed his fresh-squeezed mushroom juice into the conductor's face. The Koopa Troopa ran up, and smooshed a handful of mushroom cake into Mario's face.

However, Mario had no time to wipe it off his face because saw a glob of mushroom lasagna flying through the air, right at the princess! The lasagna would hit Peach's dress! Mario had no time to spare. He dove through the air, and intercepted the glob. His favorite overalls were ruined--he would never get the stain out. Peach then realized how selfless Mario was, and kissed him. "Thank you, Mario," Peach said.

"Oh, you're welcome." Mario swiftly picked her up, and carried her out of the dining car, out of the way of dangerous flying food, to Room 5 for the night.


	6. Startling Realization

**DAY THREE**

"So," Peach asked the conductor at breakfast, "have you found out who shot the engineer?"

"No, not yet," the conductor said, stirring sugar into his mushroom tea.

"Oh," Peach said.

"We'll be in Poshley Heights in about 20 minutes," the conductor said plainly, "but we'll probably be early. I guess we've got no choice but to allow everybody off the train. Are you all packed for arrival?"

"Yes," she said. "Won't the attacker get away if we all leave the train?"

"Oh, probably, but at least we have records and evidence of everybody who was on this train. We could just call you all up if you've been accused or something."

"Ah, I see."

Peach returned to her table to finish eating her mushroom pancakes with Mario.

"I wonder who did it," said Mario, pouring some maple syrup over his pancakes.

"I think we're _all _wondering that," said Peach.

Suddenly, there was a loud shout from the kitchen area. Everyone looked over.

"NO!" Chef Shimi was shouting from the kitchen. Nobody could see around the wall inside the kitchen.

"Come on, just a few more!" said a familiar voice.

"No. No more pancakes! There won't be enough for the other passengers!" Chef Shimi yelled in an angry voice. Suddenly, somebody in a pirate outfit was thrown from the kitchen.

"HIM!" the engineer rose from his seat, slowly pointing a trembling finger at the figure in the pirate costume. "He's the one who shot me!"

The person in the pirate costume slowly rose to his feet.

Peach was surprised. She knew who was in the costume. "Pennington!"

"Yes, it was me, all along," Pennington declared, then started staring at his feet. He took off his pirate hat and the eye patch.

"But why?" asked the purple-haired waitress.

"I wanted to solve a mystery. I love it when everybody gets together to help solve a great mystery. Even if I already knew who really did it, I wanted to solve a mystery. Sorry, all, but it was very entertaining."

"Y-you shot a man for your own entertainment?" Peach asked in bewilderment.

The Koopa Troopa nudged the fat Toad in the arm. "This guy's crazy," he muttered.

The conductor was a little confused. He asked the engineer, "Why didn't you recognize Pennington as the person who shot you?"

"Well, he was wearing that pirate costume!"

"You didn't recognize Pennington in that costume? Shimi could!"

"Well, the eye patch completely threw me off! It's all I noticed!"

"Perhaps you need to get glasses," Pennington said.

Everyone turned toward Pennington. "Get him!" They all rushed toward Pennington, who rushed out through the back of the dining car, through the freight car, went outside the train, and climbed up the ladder on the back to the roof of the train. Everyone but the engineer, who was not in good enough health to chase, followed Pennington onto the roof.


	7. Top of the Train

Everyone stood on the roof, the scenery whipping by. The wind blew fiercely. One foolish move, and anybody could fall off the train.

"Get away from me!" Pennington yelled at the angry crowd. It was hard to hear him--the wind rushing past was deafening. Some people couldn't hear him at all.

"No!" Mario ran to the front of the crowd, and gave an angry stare to Pennington. His mustache shook along with the rushing wind.

Pennington steadily pulled out his gun, and aimed it at Princess Peach. "Don't move, or the princess gets it!"

"Mariooooooooo!" Peach cried in a panic, putting her hands up to cover her eyes.

"Damn," the Koopa Troopa said aside to the purple-haired waitress. "I left my gun packed up in my room."

"Oh, so did I," she said back. In fact, Pennington was the only one on the roof with a gun.

Mario didn't know what to do. If he moved, the Princess would get killed--he didn't want that to happen. If he didn't move, well... he didn't know. He guessed they would just stand there for a while. Hmmm... suddenly, Mario got a great idea!

Mario continued staring at Pennington. He didn't twitch a muscle, despite the powerful gusts of wind hitting him right in the face. Mario was surprised that his hat hadn't flown off yet.

"Well?" Pennington asked. "Are you going to make a move?"

Mario only stood there, glaring at Pennington. He didn't even blink.

"I have a fork," the fat Toad mumbled to the conductor, taking out his large fork. "I think I could take him."

"No, no," said the conductor. "I think Mario's handling it."

"What, he's not even moving!"

"Let's just wait and see what happens." The conductor turned his attention back to Mario and Pennington, who were standing only a few yards apart.

Mario continued to stare down Pennington. Pennington stared back at Mario, while keeping the gun pointed at Peach. Everybody's attention was glued to Mario and Pennington.

Suddenly, the train jerked. Everybody lost his or her balance and fell down. Pennington's gun flew right out of his hand, and slid onto the train car in front.

The train was beginning to slow down. Pennington got up, and dove for the gun. Mario got up and dove right on top of Pennington. (It's hard to dive forward on top of a moving train.)

Peach looked forward into the distance, and smiled. "Poshley Heights!" Sure enough, the train was due to arrive in the small but elegant city in less than a minute. The engineer was down in the engineer's car, stopping the train! Peach, and several others as well, noticed that the Poshley Heights Police were gathered around the train station. A trap! They were going to catch Pennington!

Pennington grasped the gun, but Mario pinned his arm down to the roof of the train. Pennington tried to twist his arm to point the gun at Mario, and ultimately shoot, but Mario was pressing down on his arm with all his weight (and it was a lot of weight because Mario is invariably overweight). Mario tried to grab at the gun, but couldn't reach it.

"You'll never beat me. I'm a penguin!" Pennington growled.

"Oh yeah?" Mario rebutted. "I'm a plumber!"

Mario did nothing but constantly press against Pennington's arm and occasionally whisper, "You're goin' down, penguin." And Pennington could do nothing but try to twist his arm to shoot Mario.

"This thing's loaded," Pennington said, warningly. "Don't think I'm bluffing."

"The only thing besides that gun that's loaded is your sense of evil!"

The train jerked again. Mario tumbled forward off of Pennington, and Pennington, once again, lost the gun. It slid forward, between the cars of the train, and down to the tracks below. The gun was gone, and Pennington had no other weapons on him.

The train gradually stopped as everybody on the roof trapped Pennington and they all pinned him down (think dogpile).

"Poshley Heights Police Department," came a loud voice through a loudspeaker. "Mr. Pennington, you are under arrest for attempted murder." A police officer walked through the train, up the back, onto the roof, and handcuffed Pennington.


	8. One Startling Moment

Everyone was gathered in the small plaza in front of Poshley Heights Station. The beautiful buildings and houses surrounding them reeked of cash.

"Oh, Mario!" Peach said elegantly, "Look at all the lovely buildings! And the flowers lining the paths! Isn't it lovely, Mario?"

"Oh, yes," Mario agreed. Mario felt a tap on his shoulder, and it startled him a little. He turned around to see the engineer.

"Mario, I want to thank you so much," the engineer said, "for saving my train from disaster." The engineer gave Mario a Tanooki Suit.

"Thank you very much," said Mario. He stuffed it in his suitcase.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a date with the purple-haired waitress." The engineer walked over to the waitress, and they together walked to one of the many fabulous restaurants in Poshley Heights.

Peach hugged Mario. "Oh, Mario, you're my hero!" She kissed him on the cheek. "You saved the day again!"

Mario began blushing.

Peach noticed the fat Toad talking to the Koopa Troopa a short distance away. "Mario, come with me." They walked over.

"Excuse me," Peach said to the fat Toad. "I'm so sorry for slapping you while Mario and I were searching for Chef Shimi's pot."

The fat Toad began blushing. "Oh, well, that's quite all right."

"No no, it's not all right," Peach said, "I need to give you something to make up for it." She pulled a small slip of paper out of her bag, and scribbled on it. "Here's an address. This is Zess T.'s address. Go there, and I'm sure that she'll be willing to make the greatest food for you. Tell her that the princess sent you!" Peach winked.

"Ohhhh, thanks!"

The Koopa Troopa then stepped up to Mario. "Sorry for smashing that cake into your face."

Mario smiled. "Oh, don't worry. It was tasty."

The fat Toad and Koopa Troopa stepped aside so Chef Shimi could talk to Mario. "I don't think I adequately thanked you for returning my pot to me. I own a restaurant here in Poshley Heights.. It's one of the finest in the world. I would like to treat you and the princess to a lovely candlelit dinner tonight."

"Oh, sure," said Mario.

"Thank you very much," Peach said. "How's 6 P.M., Chef Shimi?"

"That'll work fine."

Mario smiled. "Thank you oh so much!"

They had mushroom gravy for dinner that night.

* * *

Disclaimer (to renounce a legal claim or title of):  
The characters and places in this and all of my other Mariostories belong to Nintendo and whatever other subsidaries they have; they are obviously not the property of mine. This is a work of fiction...the events in this story do not necessary reflect the beliefs of Nintendo or its employees--the events in the story are completely fictional, and any coincidences between this story and your life (no matter howdepressing it may be)are completely coincidental. 


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